You probably already use a desktop, but today's
full-featured laptops make a handy addition to any
startup-especially if you'll be traveling anytime soon. You
might want to feel the wind in your hair, heed the call of the open
road or see a laptop warming the airplane tray table in front of
you. Whether you need to fly to exotic locales, attend a trade show
in Cincinnati or just trundle down to your local Wi-Fi-equipped
coffee shop, a notebook computer is your ticket to computing on the
go. A laptop can increase your flexibility and productivity-and
when you're working to grow your business, you need as much of
both of those as you can get.

Seeing the Lightweight
Expect to spend anywhere from $800 to $2,500 for a new notebook-a
range that covers everything from bulked-up widescreen models to
tiny units that will slip effortlessly into your briefcase. To
narrow your choices, first consider just how far you'll range
on a regular basis and what you'll need to take with you
application-wise.

"You pay a premium for something that portable and with the
latest and greatest technology," concludes Gunn.

Desktop-replacement notebooks are at the opposite end of the
spectrum. They are cheaper but heftier-8 pounds plus-and usually
fully loaded. Many have screen sizes that rival your desktop LCD.
The downside is that you don't want to haul one of these
through an airport terminal or try to open it on a tray table. But
if your itinerary usually includes travel from office to office or
office to home office, they aren't so bad. The 7.7-pound
Gateway M680X
comes with a substantial 17-inch display, integrated Wi-Fi and a
cutting-edge double-layer DVD writer. It starts at about $1,500,
but boost the memory to 1,024MB, upgrade to Windows XP Professional
and go for the ultrabright display, and you'll land at
$1,765.

There is a compromise-a thin-and-light notebook. The Dell Latitude D510, for
example, starts at just $779 and weighs a little over 5 pounds. A
more fully featured version runs about $1,300 and includes an
extended warranty and Windows XP Pro. It's the kind of portable
most likely to be found among a traveling businessperson's
luggage.

There is also another class of notebook. Tablet PCs haven't
hit the mainstream with a vengeance, but they are an intriguing
alternative to standard notebooks. They come in two types: slate
and convertible. Slate tablets appeal to users in specialty areas
that essentially need a very portable digital writing device. The
$2,349 slate-style Fujitsu Stylistic ST5020 comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
and an integrated fingerprint reader. The easy-to-carry package
weighs 3.5 pounds. Convertibles have a wider appeal. "A
convertible tablet is more of a mainstream notebook with tablet
functionality," says Gunn. The Hewlett-Packard Compaq tc4200 Tablet PC is a
good example of the convertible genre. Starting at $1,599, it
features a 12.1-inch screen and a three-year warranty, and weighs a
very reasonable 4.6 pounds. Cutting-edge technology fans, crea-tive
entrepreneurs, and those who just can't pass up the
notebook-and-pen functionality should check into tablet PCs.

Sorting the Specs
There are a lot of factors to sort through when you're
selecting or customizing a new notebook. Gunn recommends at least
512MB RAM, a 1.4GHz processor (a 1.6GHz or 1.7GHz processor is
preferred), a CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive, and a hard drive of no
less than 40GB (60GB is preferred). If you don't find a
notebook's standard configuration quite up to snuff, you can
usually find a variety of upgrades available at the time of
purchase. It's also possible to upgrade your hardware down the
road, but with a certain degree of inconvenience, of course. Says
Gunn, "If you're going to need it down the road, you might
as well make that investment now."

Screen size is also a major factor in your total computing
experience. It's common for featherweight ultraportables to
have 10- to 12-inch displays, while super-hefty desktop
replacements like the Gateway M680X can have screens as large as 17
inches. Gunn suggests looking out for some of the newer ultrabright
screen technologies for improved colors and viewing experiences.
That can be important if you plan to handle graphic design or
multimedia duties on your laptop. Widescreen notebooks are not only
nice for video and DVD use, but also give you more room to
multitask with a couple of spreadsheets or side-by-side documents.
Tradeoffs in weight, display size and cost are inevitable on both
ends of the spectrum.

The Way of the Warranty
Expect to get at least a one-year warranty with your new laptop.
High-end notebooks tend to come with three-year warranties. Looking
at the Dell D510, the $779 entry-level version comes with a
one-year, mail-in warranty, while the $1,300 version comes with a
three-year on-site warranty. That's pretty typical of what you
will get in those respective price ranges. Shorter warranties can
usually be upgraded at the time of purchase if you desire
longer-term peace of mind. Expect to pay an extra $200 to $300 to
push a one-year warranty up to three years.

Notebooks can be accident-prone. They can be dropped, shuffled
around, left on a car roof, stepped on, sat on-the possibilities
are endless. The standard warranty doesn't cover accidents. If
your laptop takes a dive off a meeting-room desk and the screen
gets cracked, you're up a creek-unless, as Gunn recommends,
you've invested in accidental damage protection. That can cost
an additional $150 to $250 upfront, but that's not bad,
considering the replacement cost of a screen can be upward of $700.
Frequent travelers and entrepreneurs who go out to work sites might
find the investment well worth it. If the manufacturer doesn't
offer such a warranty, check with your retailer to see if they have
a plan available.

Gotta Have It
Wi-Fi is an absolute must. Chances are, you won't have to worry
about adding wireless to your new laptop. Most notebooks come
equipped with 802.11b, 802.11g or a combination of the two. Laptops
with Intel Centrino technology are already equipped to handle your
wireless needs. Even if you don't already have a wireless
network set up at your office, you'll definitely put it to use
when you're on the road. Wireless hot spots are everywhere you
go-in airports, in restaurants, in hotels and at your clients'
offices. Sites like Boingo and WiFinder can help you find wireless locations wherever
you're headed. Don't forget that the simple act of getting
out of the office and heading over to a Wi-Fi-ready coffeehouse can
be a big boost to your productivity.

You might want to add some extras to your notebook. A sturdy,
comfortable carrying case and a set of universal power adapters if
you travel out of the country are both good ideas. For even more
ideas, check out theses nifty gadgets to help you hit the road:

Pet Projector
If you've just shelled out $2,000 for an ultraportable laptop,
you may think twice about spending that much for a projector. But
when it comes to presenting a professional image, the $2,300
Hewlett-Packard
mp3135 covers the bases. At 3.8 pounds, it packs a lot of
high-end features into a little space and has an optional wireless
connection.

Staying Power
Battery life is a valuable commodity. For those long stretches when
you're away from a power outlet, APC's Universal Notebook Battery can tide
you over. It comes in under 2 pounds and offers up to eight hours
of extra battery life. Your actual time can vary a bit depending on
your notebook model and power settings. Street price is $230.

Save the Data
Chances are, the value of your data far outstrips the value of your
laptop itself. We're talking business files, spreadsheets,
e-mail archives and more. The best way to protect yourself is to
back up your information. The CMS Products Automatic Backup System is
essentially a tiny, portable hard drive that can back up your
entire system. A USB 2.0 version of the ABSplus notebook system
runs $259 for 40GB of capacity. Other capacities are also
available.